Experiencing life from the northernmost city of Japan to Japan's third largest city to the southeastern USA to Tokyo!

Saturday, January 15, 2011

Here

Here I am, tucked into my very tiny hotel room a world away from where I started this morning. OK, when I started, it was Friday morning, and now it is technically Saturday night, but it still feels like it was this morning when I started.

Amidst the agonies of saying goodbyes and being crammed into a wee little seat, this trip definitely had some bright spots in it! In a fit of insanity last September, I had booked myself in a window seat coming back to Japan. When I came to my senses, I realized that the tiny bit of extra space in the aisle would have been a really nice thing to have. Of course, there were no aisle seats available then. Well, this morning, my bro suggested that I try the self-service check in. I did, and I had the option to change seats. Well, lo and behold! There was an aisle seat available two rows in front of where I was originally seated! And the number was the same as my Wii fitness age from the night before and the letter was my initial - H. It was perfect! All I needed was a handsome, Christian, single man for a seatmate, and we'd have had the makings of a romance novel! But I sat next to a middle aged lady. Oh, well.

Another bright spot - I got to take a few extra pounds aboard! No no, not because I ate too many Blizzards!

Yet another bright spot - I got to sit next to a friend on the very turbulent flight from Tokyo to Sapporo!

We arrived in Sapporo about 8:40PM. By the time I made it to the train area, it was about 9:10. I waited around for the next train, due to come at 9:30. I realized that I felt surprisingly awake. But then I got on the train and pretty much promptly zonked out. I dozed off and on until we reached Sapporo an hour later. Then I had to transfer to the subway line
***Note: Due to reasons beyond my comprehension, I booked the wrong hotel. The hotel I booked is nowhere near anywhere I want to be on this trip.***
Once off the subway, I reluctantly emerged into the freezing, snow filled city. It was about 11PM by this point. I started following the directions the hotel had sent. Probably two minutes in, I gave up and walked to a taxi. My plan was to ask about my hotel first, just in case it was right behind me or something. The driver motioned for me to get into the warm and cozy cab, and we set off. A few minutes later, we arrived at the hotel, and **bright spot alert**the driver motioned for me to get out. I started to pay, but he waved it off! I thought that was really nice.

So, all in all, it was nice to have those bright spots throughout the trip. Definitely helped to ease some of the not-so-fun parts!

2 comments:

Praise God for those bright spots: H38, an aisle seat, free overweight luggage, and a free ride in a toasty cab!!! To top it off, I need to ask...was your seat mate of average size??? I think you know to what I am referring! :)

So sorry about the turbulence. That is no fun. Was it as bad as a winter ferry ride?